Samlor Machou Kroeung Moan (Sour Chicken Curry Soup)
A comforting and flavorful sour soup featuring chicken and a fragrant kroueng (curry paste), balanced with tamarind for tanginess and fresh herbs for brightness. This is a lighter, more herbaceous take on Cambodian curry.
🧂 Ingredients
- 500 g Chicken thighs(boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 3 tbsp Kroueng (Cambodian Curry Paste)(homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tbsp Tamarind paste(or to taste)
- 6 cups Chicken broth
- 2 medium Tomatoes(quartered)
- 1 medium Onion(chopped)
- 3 cloves Garlic(minced)
- 1 tbsp Fish sauce(or to taste)
- 1 tsp Palm sugar(or to taste)
- 1 stalk Lemongrass(bruised)
- 2 leaves Kaffir lime leaves(torn)
- 1 cup Long beans(cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves(for garnish)
- 1/4 cup Cilantro(chopped, for garnish)
- 1-2 small Chili peppers(thinly sliced, for garnish (optional))
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a pot, sauté the minced garlic and chopped onion in a little oil until softened.
- 2
Add the kroueng (curry paste) and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- 3
Add the chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on all sides.
- 4
Pour in the chicken broth, add the tamarind paste, bruised lemongrass, and torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 5
Add the quartered tomatoes and long beans. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- 6
Season the soup with fish sauce and palm sugar to taste. Adjust sourness with more tamarind if needed.
- 7
Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh Thai basil, cilantro, and sliced chili peppers if desired. Serve hot with rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a deeper flavor, use homemade kroueng.
- ✓Adjust the amount of tamarind paste to achieve your desired level of sourness.
- ✓This soup is best served fresh.
🔄 Variations
- Use pork or firm tofu instead of chicken.
- Add other vegetables like eggplant or pumpkin.